Grassi
TV time
The game will air dwell on Renda Media, out of Indiana, on YouTube TV on Friday evening. The hyperlink to the game could be discovered with this story on the Mirror’s web site.
Penn Cambria reached the PIAA Class 3A state football semifinals for the second straight season final November, and people sorts of on-the-field staff accomplishments carry with them loads of honors and recognition for coaches and gamers.
For the second straight summer season, a Penn Cambria coach will likely be serving as a head coach within the Ken Lantzy All-Star Classic football game, which unveils its fifty fifth chapter on Friday evening at Greater Johnstown High School’s Trojan Stadium. Kickoff is 7 p.m. for Friday’s game, which once more will likely be sponsored by First Summit Bank.
Penn Cambria coach Jason Grassi was picked as the top coach of the North Squad for Friday’s Lantzy Classic, whereas Richland coach Brandon Bailey was chosen as the top coach of the South squad. Grassi and Bailey had been the highest two vote-getters for 2025 Coach of the Year within the Southern Alleghenies Football Coaches Association, and consequently, they earned the nod to teach on this game.
Nick Felus was the North squad coach in final 12 months’s Lantzy game after main Penn Cambria to the PIAA Class 3A state semifinals in 2024, his final season because the Panthers’ head coach. Felus will start his second season as head football coach at Neshaminy High School this fall.
“There are a lot of schools throughout Districts 5, 6, and in the case of Ligonier Valley, District 7, so it is a real honor to be selected as a head coach in this game,” stated Bailey, who’s marking his third look as a head coach within the game.
Grassi additionally stated that it’s an honor for him to teach within the game, and that his Penn Cambria gamers – 5 of whom will take part in Friday’s game for the North squad – opened the door for him to take action.
“It’s an honor, but our players are the only reason that I am here,” Grassi stated. “When you have a great group of kids, a great group of seniors, and a great program, that is what happens.”
The guidelines within the Lantzy game predispose each groups to make the most of their offenses. Those guidelines require that groups throw on a minimum of 25 % of their offensive performs in every quarter, and that defenses align in a four-man entrance and man-to-man protection.
“The rules of the game really provide an advantage to the offenses,” stated Bailey, whose Richland staff received the District 6 Class 2A championship final season and misplaced to eventual state runners-up Farrell within the first spherical of the state playoffs. “We’re going to try to spread the ball around and try to score more points than the other team.”
The North staff is made up largely of athletes from Blair and Cambria County faculties, whereas the South squad is comprised largely of athletes from Indiana and Somerset County faculties.
Former Penn Cambria standout Brady Jones will share quarterback duties with Meyersdale’s Lance Jones for the North squad.
“Brady’s leadership this week has been awesome,” Grassi stated of Brady Jones’ efficiency in apply periods for the North staff this week at Forest Hills High School. “He’s taken the lead in the whole lot that we’re doing.
“Lance Jones is a good quarterback, (whose Meyersdale team) had a really, really good season last year,” Grassi stated. “He’s a big, tall quarterback and he’s a good athlete.”
The offensive backfield for the North staff will characteristic former Bishop Guilfoyle Academy star Jake Kissell at operating again, with Penn Cambria grad Grant Gides and Bishop McCort Catholic Academy grad Angelo Gallucci on the wideout positions.
“We have a good mix of different guys who we think will enable us to both run and throw the ball well,” Grassi stated.
The South squad – which received final season’s game 39-14 and now holds a 30-24 edge within the all-time sequence – will characteristic Somerset’s Colt Hagans and Marion Center’s Cam Rising at quarterback, with Zander Richardson of Forest Hills additionally a candidate to play there, in addition to at a wide range of different ability positions.
“Each one of those kids brings something to the table,” Bailey stated. “We’ve got some good skill players, and we hope to spread the ball around to a lot of different kids and let some (different) people have some fun Friday night.”
This game originated in 1971 with a view to generate proceeds to assist defray the medical payments of former Cambria Heights participant Ken Lantzy, who suffered accidents in an October 1970 Highlanders’ football game that left him confined to a wheelchair.
As time went on, the main target of the game named in Lantzy’s honor was to generate faculty scholarship cash for the members.
Tickets could be bought on-line upfront for $7.18 every by way of the Eventbrite web site, or on the gate on the evening of the game for $10 every.
“It’s a great community event,” Bailey stated. “We’ll have the band and the cheerleaders at the game, and several thousand people in the stands.”
Grassi is eagerly anticipating Friday’s game as properly.
“We have great players and they have great players,’ said Grassi, who will be joined on the North team’s coaching staff by Penn Cambria assistant coaches Brandon Nicodemus and Brent Davison. “I’m just looking forward to a great game.”